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Tia Jenny says "Hello" to David in San Francisco!

Jennifer, Mom and I called for the cab Sunday morning and left the house at 6:45 because we were afraid of the lines and security that might be out in force at Heathrow. We dropped Jennifer off at terminal #2 and George the Cabbie drove Mom and I to terminal #3. I had checked us in on the internet the night before so we had a short line to drop off our luggage, then a longer line to get through security, but still had plenty of time. Haven't heard from Jennifer yet, and her flight was leaving before ours so I hope she made it through okay.

Our flight was shorter than projected, we must have had a tail wind! We had plenty of time to get through the passport line, luggage pickup and customs. We then had to wind our way from terminal #5 to terminal #1 at O'Hare and catch the CTA tram to Jackson Street. We then dragged our luggage about 6 blocks to the Amtrak station and made it with about an hour to spare.

We got off the train at Bloomington-Normal and spent the night at a Super 8 that Karen Graham had researched for me and texted me the number for. A taxi ride this morning got us back to the Amtrak station and on the 303 for St. Louis. We were about an hour late but got in at 4:00 to meet Karen and Jeff who were our rides home. Thanks so much both of you! Bye Mom, let's do it again sometime!

30 June 2007

Jennifer still sick, debating whether we should make a run at a Medicentre, but she wants to wait and see. I am staying home with her while Mom and Brian take the train out to Ipswich. She is sleeping now and I just made a trip to the grocery store for some broth and crackers. Hope she wakes up feeling better. She has to catch the plane tomorrow to meet Nick and the boys for the cruise!

4:45--Jennifer feeling much better, we went for a long walk because she was getting antsy, bought some fresh fruits and made a fruit salad and started cleaning this place up so we can leave early tomorrow.

8:30--Mom and Brian just got back from a pretty full day of travel and sights. They hopped on the train from Catford to London Bridge, then the Tube (Underground/subway) to Liverpool Street train station, then by train to Ipswich about 80 minutes NE of London on the coast - home to Doggett family ancestors. They did research in the local county archive and found the handwritten accounts of Bejamin Doggett's 1636 birth and 1664 marriage to Sarah Gerrard. Those folks emigrated to Virginia in the early 1670s and a descendant fought in the American Revolution against the Brits a century later! Then our intrepid travellers went to the 12th c. church in town and took a picture where Benjamin was baptized. After that it was off on another train to Cambridge, where they stopped by St Johns College (where Benjamin studied and graduated), a bridge on the River Cam, and a lovely walk through the medieval part of town. At 6:15 it was back on yet another train back to London, followed by Tube and train home to Catford where they have just walked in! Super day!

29 June- Lazy day

Jennifer woke up with a sore throat and achy all over so we stayed home and sent Brian off to do more research. Mom and I did a couple of loads of laundry and I walked out to the stores a couple of times for eats. I made tuna casserole for dinner and we have been reading off and on all day. Brian had a productive day working on personal letters pertaining to his George Berkeley fellow. It was sunny most of the day with one small rainshower. We are off to Ipswich and Cambridge tomorrow by train.

28th June- Wandering London

Brian went off to do some research this morning so the women were on their own. We managed to make it into town and home again, switching tubes and trains like we knew what we were doing! First we took the Train in to Charing Cross, then the Tube to South Kensington. We then walked up to Harrod's and looked around but didn't buy anything. What a department store that is! We walked from there to Hyde Park and sat along the Serpentine, watching people, ducks, geese and horses go by. We walked through the rose garden and while trying to decide how to get to Buckingham Palace we heard a commotion and soon there was a procession of Horse Guards and carriages going by. We went back the way they came and soon found the Palace, but something was obviously going on.

They were preparing for a parade celebrating 100 years of women in their Armed Forces, so we stayed and watched that too. We walked down to St. James Park to catch the Tube to Embankment, walked to Charing Cross and then got on a Train back home. We did good!

27 June 2007- Boat Cruise, London Eye

Yesterday we took the train in to Charing Cross and then walked to Trafalgar Square and took a bus tour of the City of London. We then walked to Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, China Town and past the Horse Guards and the Admiralty. Made it to the show at 3:00- SPAMALOT was very funny and enjoyed by all. We have been humming tunes ever since.


Woke up to a little bit of sun peeking out from the clouds so we headed into the city to take advantage of the free boat ride included on our bus tour ticket. We took the train to Westminster station and boarded the boat right beside the London Eye. We got off at Greenwich and walked past the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Naval College and up the hill to the Royal Observatory where Brian got a picture of the three women, one foot in the Eastern Hemisphere and one in the West. Great views from up there.

Then we got back on the boat and ended up back at the London Eye. We bought our tickets and the line moved pretty fast so soon we were on our way up into the air! Great views again, but as we got off the ride it started to rain, again.

We had an early supper next to Westminster Abbey, then toured this huge old church and saw the tombs of many of the late kings and prime ministers. We listened to Big Ben chime at 6 and 7 pm, then headed home.

June23rd- Borders Abbey Tour

We did the Borders Abbey tour (Kelso, Jedburgh, Dryburgh and Melrose.)and it was again an off and on rainy day. While at Jedburgh we saw the rain coming at us and headed for the car, but we didn't make it. I put together a slide show so we will see how it turns out. While Brian was at the pub last night the guys said he had to take the ladies to a parade in Peebles so we went. The parade consisted of two bands in a kind of march off.

25 June- Tower of London, Tower Bridge

We got up a little late, Jennifer and Brian didn't get in from the airport 12:30 in the morning! Her flight was slightly delayed so they missed the last train and ended up taking a bus into town and then a taxi to Catford.

We caught the train at Catford Bridge and then took the tube to the Tower of London.

We then walked over to St. Paul's Cathedral and it was beautiful, but no pictures allowed inside.

We then took the tube to Covent Garden where we had drinks at the Nags Head Pub. Great names on these pubs! We met Jennifer's friend Neil Salton at the Crusting Pipe Pub in Covent Gardens and then went for dinner with him at an Italian place, excellent food and great conversation.

Then we tubed and trained back home.

June 22 Edinburgh, Scotland

I took this picture so you could see the kilted young men, there were quite a few of them wandering around. In the background you can see Arthur's Seat, behind the crag in front, the sky had started to clear a little by then, but it still wasn't what you would call SUNNY.

Just a veiw of a the beginning of the Royal Mile, from the Castle end.

The above picture is where we got off the bus and back on again at the end of the day. Below is one of the two statues at the first entrance to the castle, with a statue of Robert The Bruce, and on the other side was one of William Wallace. There is a huge parade ground and bus tour entrance in front of the castle, so what you see in the third picture is what we saw.



We took a bus tour after walking half of the mile, and had a very entertaining tour guide. The Holyrood palace was closed because something important was going on there, but we don't know what. The above is a monument to Sir Walter Scott, and we also visited a museum to him, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. Altogether a full day, and Mom's feet were not doing well, so she was glad to get on the bus. She has been very happy with her knees and hips, and this was the first bad time she had. She blames it all on her shoes. Brian went to the local pub last night and enjoyed the local atmosphere.